Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!csd4.csd.uwm.edu!info-high-audio-request
From: bilver!bill@uunet.UU.NET (Bill Vermillion)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end
Subject: Re: Split stylus
Message-ID: <8308@uwm.edu>
Date: 13 Dec 90 14:02:50 GMT
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Approved: tjk@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Originator: tjk@csd4.csd.uwm.edu

In article <8254@uwm.edu> Steve_Graham@ub.cc.umich.edu writes:
>The fellow who claims his dad's "split stylus" records tore up the
>cartridge/stylus is, I am almost certain, mistaken.  The only thing that
>I have found to do damage to a stylus was some 78's, which have abrasive
>material mixed in.  To my surprise I once found a Stanton 78 stylus to have
>a large notch in it after playing a few disks that had been unplayed for
>many years and were stored under random conditions.  (The stylus was examined
>under a Shure stylus microscope.)  Possibly he was trying to play such
>disks.  But I'm sure it had nothing to do with the notion of "split stylus".
>At any rate, I'm certain that no vinyl disk will tear up the stylus/cartridge,
>unless maybe it's actually cracked, and even then it's doubtful that it would
>do more than make a nasty noise.
 
 Well a cracked disk could bend the canteliever or pull the stylus point
 from it's mount, but I am replying to the "abrasive material" in the 78's.

 Yes, VERY OLD 78's do have abrasive material in them, and it is most
 likely carborundum, the material that is used to make sharpeing stones for
 knives, scissors, axes, what-have-you.

 Now you may wonder why such a detrimental (to modern stylii) material is
 used in a record.

 The old accoustic records were played with either steel or cactus
 "needles".   They really were like a needle.   Just a piece of metal with
 a rounded point on the end.  (It was rounded like a needle, it felt sharp
 but was slightly round at the tip).

 The abrasive in the record shaped the needle to the groove!

Cactus needles didn't have the high output of steel, and had a much more
mellow sound.  (I guess the cactus needles were the equivalent of tubes
or lp sounds, while the steel were CD's and DATs :-) :-)  ).
The cactus needles also made the records last much longer.  I have not
heard a cactus needle since I was little so I can't tell you what the
difference is.

On a similar note, does anyone know where I can get needles (both steel and
cactus, or either) for the old accoustic machines.  I normally don't follow
the antique crowd so this is out of my area, but I have two old units that
I show off every once in a while.  One is a 1906 Marshall (?) licensed by
RCA/HMV.   Old tulip horn with THE dog still visible.  I say 1906 because I
was told that was the last year of outside horns, it could be older.



-- 
Bill Vermillion - UUCP: uunet!tarpit!bilver!bill
                      : bill@bilver.UUCP